Akasha Naturals Is Live!

February 2, 2012

Akasha products and supplement line – Akasha Naturals- went live today! Akasha Naturals is the first supplement line developed by an integrative medical team.  We have been working on this project for years- so I’m pretty excited and very proud of what our team has accomplished! We have done extensive research, ensuring that our products are made with the highest quality ingredients. Our formulas are effective, pure and highly absorbable. Importantly,  they are backed with scientific studies supporting their safety and effectiveness.  And we have avoided plastic in the production of our products. They are packaged in glass bottles (90% so far!) and are almost entirely devoid of gelatin (which is animal based) by using only veggie capsules, softgels and liquids.

 

The cause of your health problems may be in your gut

January 18, 2012

The health of your gut affects your entire well being. If you experience bloating, gas or constipation, your mood, immune system and energy level may be affected.  Most of us know that SSRIs- a group of antidepressants such as Prozac, Zoloft and Lexapro, work by increasing serotonin in the body. Serotonin is seen as the “happy hormone”. Well, 95% of serotonin is actually produced in our gut! So, if our gut isn’t healthy, we are more likely to feel depressed and anxious. A majority of my patients find significant relief in mood and energy when their gut is addressed.  This means making sure there is enough healthy bacteria living in the colon and small intestines, eliminating any potential food sensitivities, identifying parasites or bacterial overgrowth, supplementing with digestive enzymes (when necessary) and healing the gut if there is a long history of irritable or inflammatory bowel disease. This Wall Street Journal article discusses the growing body of research showing how the gut affects bodily functions far beyond digestion.

Raw Cacao Truffles

November 21, 2011

This delicious recipe will be included in Akasha’s next holiday newsletter. I made these truffles yesterday for Kirk to bring to work this week. They are decadent and so, so easy to make.

2 cups raw almonds – ground

¾ cup raw cacao powder

5 dates, pitted

½ cup raw organic honey or agave (I prefer honey)

1 Tablespoon raw organic coconut butter

Pinch of Celtic sea salt

Filtered water- as needed for desired moisture (usually 2 tsp -1/8th cup water)

Shredded coconut (optional)

In a food processor grind almonds. Next add the rest of the ingredients except the water and coconut and blend again.  Once everything is blended, add enough water to make the mixture moist. Roll chocolate mixture into balls, around the size of a golf ball or smaller.  Roll truffles into shredded coconut and store in fridge or freezer for at least 3-hours before serving.

Enjoy!

J&J slowly removing their toxins

November 18, 2011

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) announced Wednesday that it will continue their efforts to remove two toxic chemicals form its baby products.  J&J recently removed these two chemicals- 1,4-dioxane- a known carcinogen, and quaternium-15, a chemical known to release formaldehyde, from several countries, including the U.K., Scandinavia and South Africa. But these toxic chemicals are still being sold in the U.S., China, Canada and Australia.  If J&J can produce a toxin-free product in Europe they should be able to figure out how to do it in the U.S.  No one should be exposed to environmental toxins in their cosmetics, especially our babies. We should be able to trust that products we put on our skin, especially the products we put on our babies highly permeable skin, do not contain ingredients known to cause cancer and other heath problems.  For now, I recommend avoiding J&J products and to become informed about the products we put on our families skin. The Environmental Working Group is a fantastic resource to find safe products.

Newer Birth Control Pills More Likely to Lead to Blood Clots

November 14, 2011

A new study reports that birth control pills containing drospireone- found in the birth control Yaz and Yasmin- may carry a higher risk of blood clots than older birth control pills. All oral contraceptives increase risks for blood clots. These newer pills, however, increase the risk of blood clots from 43% to 65%. The authors note that the risk of a blood clot is highest in the first few months of being on the pill. So, if you’ve been on Yaz or Yasmine for over 4-months without a problem, you’re likely in the clear.  But, if you’re deciding on what pill to start and/or you have risk factors for clot development- smoke, older than 25, genetic disposition towards clotting- Yaz or Yasmin may not be the safest choice.

Positively Positive

November 11, 2011

Positively positive started as a facebook page dedicated to optimism and inspiration. It now has its own webpage and posts daily blogs, quotes and videos- definitely worth checking out.  Both myself, and my colleagues at the Akasha Center for Integrative Medicine, will be contributing bloggers.

 

 

Breastfeeding Associated with Lower Blood Pressure

November 10, 2011

A new study has just tied breastfeeding to lower blood pressure risk later in life.  In their study, the authors state that women who did not breastfeed had a 22% higher risk of developing high blood pressure. The authors go so far as to claim that 12% of hypertensive women may actually have high blood pressure due to suboptimal breastfeeding.  The authors suggest that the hormone oxytocin, which is involved in breastfeeding, may have lasting effects on blood pressure. As a side note, oxytocin is considered the “love hormone”- it is released during orgasms and works in the brain to help with social recognition and bonding.  Many doctors are prescribing oxytocin to help couples feel more love and affection. Now back to the current study…

There is so much research supporting the health benefits of breastfeeding for both mom and baby.  These studies are needed to help make necessary changes in hospitals. Since heart disease is the number one killer in women and high blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, this new finding has some serious muscle to make changes in maternity wards. We need more baby friendly hospitals where all babies are offered nothing but breast milk and are allowed to stay with mom 24 hours/day.  Women need increased access to lactation consultants and more insurance companies should coverage lactation consultations. Hopefully this research will help to make these changes.

Can birth control pills affect memory?

October 4, 2011

It’s been awhile since I’ve written anything. My lack of writing has more to do with schedule and life than for lack of noteworthy research.  But this research is so interesting it brought me back to you. This study suggests that women on birth control pills have more of a tendency to remember the gist of an emotional event rather than the details. In contrast, women who do not take birth control pills are more likely to recall details of an event rather than the general gist. What this says is that birth control pills affect memory and alter the way a woman remembers emotional events. And, since it is well known that certain emotional states such as anxiety and depression affect women more than men, it calls into question if being on birth control pills affect the memory of an event which can then lead to greater or lesser depression or anxiety.

Low Omega 3 Levels and Increased Risk of Suicide?

August 25, 2011

The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry reported on a recent study linking military suicides to low DHA (a type of omega 3 fatty acids) levels in the blood. Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for healthy brain function and balanced moods. I routinely recommend increasing omega-3 fatty acids to help decrease depression and anxiety. DHA is an essential fatty acid which means our bodies cannot produce it on its own—you need to consume it. You can find DHA in seafood (especially coldwater fish), algae and fortified eggs. The healthiest fish to consume (lowest in mercury and highest in omega 3 fatty acids) are wild salmon and sardines.  How about vegetarian sources? Another omega-3 fatty acid known as alpha linolenic acid, found in flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, hemp seeds and chia seeds, turn into DHA in our bodies. Therefore, our bodies must convert alpha-linolenic acid to DHA- not everyone, however, does this conversion efficiently.

Depression and Strokes

August 12, 2011

This new study links depression in middle aged and elderly women to an increase risk of strokes.  It also finds that use of anti-depressant medication is associated with increased stroke risk. Onset of depression increases during the menopausal years and, many times, anti-depressants are not the answer.  Addressing hormones and lifestyle factors can affect the root causes  of depression- so depression decreases and the risk of heart disease and strokes is reduced.

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